Traps of the Heart
by sunnyday30
Summary: What if Marian had married Guy at the end of S2, thinking Robin is dead, only to return to find him alive & that Guy has lied about Robin's death & killing Vaisey to marry her. Vaisey is still sheriff, Marian still loves Robin, Isabella still turns up.


_**A snap shot of w**__**hat might have happened if Marian had married Guy at the end of series 2, thinking Robin is dead, only to return to England to find him alive and well and that Guy has lied about Robin's death and killing Vaisey in order to marry her. Vaisey is still sheriff, Marian still loves Robin and Isabella has still sought sanctuary with her brother. **_

**Traps of the Heart**

Marian was running through the forest, delighting in the wind rushing through her hair and the sun gently warming her skin. She alternated between skipping, running, and when she was out of breath, walking. A smile was upon her face because she was, for these short hours, free. Free of the constraints of the castle, with the Sheriff's hostile eye and Gisborne's constant attention, though hardly hostile, still suffocating and overbearing. Now her husband he kept her closer than ever. Then there was Isabella, both smiling and jealous, keen to trip her up and learn her secrets. She knew there was more to Marian than met the eye and would be delighted to see her fall from grace.

Today, as she skipped through the trees, Marian was also free of the constraints on a lady that she had always loathed. She didn't have to be meek and demure; she could leap over branches, run until her lungs burned, roll up her sleeves and none could stop her. Marian didn't like taking orders and she didn't like the routine and mundane boredom that was the reality of life for a highborn lady.

Marian needed excitement in her life, a little danger, the thrill of the chase, every bit as much as Robin did. Except a woman could not find these thrills in battle, or by robbing rich travellers in order to feed the poor. No, Marian would have to be a spy, she would help England in her own particular way. And help herself, just a little, to the man she loved.

Marian's heady sense of freedom as she skipped along yet another path was making her careless, however. Her mind was also turning to her lover, she was excited, she hadn't seen him for well over a week. Marian pictured his smile and his beautiful, blue eyes that looked into her own with such affection. She smiled more broadly, not long now. He would also be pleased with the news she had managed to gather from the castle. Proof that there were advantages to being Gisborne's wife after all.

Marian was near the camp now, she should have been paying more attention, but in her haste to cover that final distance between herself and Robin, she missed the unusually disturbed leaves on the ground beneath her. She didn't see the slight dip in the path that was not there last time. So it came as a shock to find herself falling through the leaves strewn over the cloth covering a damp hole into a muddy, slippery and very uncomfortable pit in the ground.

Marian knew she was screaming as she fell, sliding and scraping her dress against the rough wall, though she was barely aware of the sound leaving her body. She landed with a thud on the mercifully soft earth. Her green dress was torn down the skirt and covered in muddy stains, her leg and side hurt where she'd fallen. As Marian raised her head from the muddy floor tears of pain and humiliation stung her eyes. She supposed this was one of Robin's traps. Damn him. She'd give him more than a punch in the gut for this little trick.

As Marian muttered curses and wiped her tears she suddenly became aware that another person was beside her. She looked up and saw the surprised and concerned face of her sister-in-law, Isabella of Gisborne.

'Marian,' Isabella said tentatively. 'Are you alright?'

Marian was too shocked to speak at first. Of all the people she might have expected to be stuck in a hole with, in the middle of Sherwood Forest, Isabella was one of the last.

'Marian?' Isabella asked again.

'I'm fine,' Marian finally replied, flustered and embarrassed now by her tears. She looked properly at Isabella, she had clearly fallen no better than Marian. Her dress was torn on the sleeve and covered in mud. Isabella's hair was wild and her dirty face was streaked with tears.

'What were you doing here, in the forest?' Isabella asked, helping Marian to sit up against the wall of the hole.

'I could ask you the same thing,' Marian replied, anxious not to reveal anything approaching the truth to Guy's sister.

'I was just walking,' Isabella replied, a little too quickly. Marian looked at her quizzically.

'Just walking? Does Guy know you were just walking in the middle of Sherwood Forest?'

'Nevermind me. You're his wife,' Isabella retorted.

'Yes, but he is anxious about your safety when you go out, lest Thornton reappears. He knows I can look after myself.'

'My brother trusts you,' Isabella shook her head as she spoke, her eyes narrowed and her voice gave away her belief that Guy's trust was misplaced.

'Why were you walking in this bit for forest?' Marian asked, she was sure it couldn't be a coincidence. She hoped to God Isabella hadn't found out where Robin's camp was.

'Why were you? You weren't planning on meeting anyone were you?' Isabella tried to keep her voice causal, but it was too causal. It gave her away.

Marian stiffened, she knew. Isabella knew, somehow.

'No,' Marian replied coolly. 'Were you?' Marian's spine prickled with cold dread, her stomach knotted. This was the thing she most dreaded, being unmasked. Not as the Nightwatchman this time, but as something she despised: a woman who broke her marriage vows, a woman who risked her husband's reputation and his very heart in order to pursue her own heart; her one true love, Robin Hood.

'That is my business,' Isabella snapped at her.

'Have you been here long?' Marian was keen to get off the subject of why they were both there and on to the more pressing matter of how they would get out of there.

'A couple of hours maybe,' Isabella mumbled as Marian stood up and began to look for a place to climb. She tried to get her foot into a small rock sticking out of the muddy wall.

'Forget it, you can't climb out, don't you think I've tried?'

Marian ignored her and continued to try and find purchase on the slippery mud. Eventually, after much frustration and another couple of falls she had to admit defeat. She slumped back against the wall panting and wiping perspiration from her forehead.

Isabella regarded her with a look of grim satisfaction.

'I told you there was no way out.'

'We can't just stay here,' Marian exclaimed. 'There has to be something . . .'

'This is Robin's trap, don't you think?' Isabella asked.

She didn't sound afraid of this, she sounded quite relaxed about it. Marian's feeling of unease grew. The knot forming in the pit of her stomach mushroomed. She felt both fear and jealousy; fear that Isabella knew about her secret trysts with Robin and jealous that she may have come to meet Robin too. Marian had noticed the way Isabella looked at him when the gang had robbed them at Knighton Hall a few weeks ago. Far from looking scared or upset as she was relieved of her jewellery, Isabella had looked delighted, playing along with Robin's flirtation. At the time she had thought Robin's blatant flirting had been to punish her for having Guy's protective arm around her shoulders, now she wondered if there wasn't more to it. It made her want to cry. The wretchedness of her situation, the hurt she was causing, the hurt she was suffering.

Marian sighed and pulled herself together. Isabella was not to be trusted. Marian knew for all Isabella's friendly words she disliked her. Disliked her for her place in her brother's affection and because Isabella didn't think she deserved the wholehearted devotion he showed her. She made sure that Marian knew of every humiliation Guy suffered because of her, every snide remark the Sheriff bestowed upon him because of his choice. It did pain Marian. She had come to care for Guy, despite everything. The icy cordiality than characterised her dealings with him in daylight hours was not the whole story.

Marian did have times when she could almost forget how she was tricked into marriage. Forget that Guy had let her think Robin was dead and the King's life depended upon her securing his loyalty to her, not Vaisey. She could see the pride in his eyes when she was introduced as Lady Gisborne, the devotion to her, though stifling, was well meant. She remembered yet again how he had borne her rage when she had found out the truth, not with anger or retaliation, but with a simple sorry and plea that she might love him one day as he loved her.

Then there were the hours of darkness. Marian had quickly given up the pretence of hating her husband's attention. She didn't hate it. In fact she quite enjoyed it. He was an attractive man and if she was very honest with herself she had always felt stirred by him. He aroused a quick passion in her that made her all the more ashamed of her liaisons with Robin.

Robin. The reason she was stuck in this hole. The reason she couldn't quietly accept her lot in life; accept the love and devotion of a man who clearly adored her and use her influence to make him a better man. For his own good and that of the people of Nottingham. That would have been the selfless thing to do. Steer Guy in the right direction, count her blessings that she had a husband who loved her, more than many ladies could boast. Use her position as the first Lady of Nottingham to help the poor openly.

That had been her plan. Even after she had returned home to find Robin alive and well. Even after their first frenzied reunion under the stars in the forest. Every time they met she swore it would be the last. She would give him up, work on Guy. But then something would happen. Guy would do something with the Sheriff she didn't approve of. Or Robin would appear at her window, unexpected, leaving her no time to prepare a wall of indifference to him.

When they met she always half intended to tell him to leave her alone. She would start to say it, then he would look at her with those piercing, blue eyes, eyes that loved her, and she was lost to him. Her joy at being where she belonged, in the arms of the man who held her heart, taking over from every rational thought she owned.

'Marian, Marian,' Isabella snapped her fingers in Marian's face, breaking her reverie. 'When Robin finds us, aren't you worried what he'll do to you?'

'What he'll do to me?' Marian was puzzled, she couldn't imagine being afraid of Robin, her passionate, loving, but oh so gentle Robin.

'Yes. Guy is his arch enemy. You are Guy's wife, after all. He might attack you and use you as a hostage.'

Marian's eyes narrowed, she knew Isabella knew Robin would never do that. She was baiting her.

'He could do the same to you, Isabella, you are Guy's sister.'

'Robin won't hurt me,'

'You seem very sure of this, yet you fear for me? It makes me wonder how well you know him,' Marian was now sure Robin was meeting Isabella. God knows what his game was, he had her for information. Using Isabella as a spy was stupid and dangerous. She was totally unstable in Marian's opinion. It irked her that Guy seemed to think she was a benign presence in their household. He didn't see how she twisted everything, but then Guy didn't see a lot of things. Including her own disloyalty.

'I think Robin took a liking to me, that is all. I know for a fact he hates you, Lady Gisborne.'

'Is that so, I shall be thankful then that my father had me taught to fight.'

'You should be worried about my brother, not Robin. I wonder what he will say when he finds out his wife was running around the woods near Robin Hood's camp.'

Marian raised an eyebrow at Isabella. 'Are we near Robin's camp?' she asked in a surprised tone. Isabella shook her head and gave her a withering look.

'You know we are.'

'And do you suppose Guy will be any more pleased you are here?' Isabella shrugged at Marian's question.

'He cares not for me. You, he worships. And he is a jealous man, Marian.'

Marian hung her head, feeling the shame of her actions. There were words for women like her.

'That's not true, you know,' she eventually said quietly.

'Yes it is, he worships the ground you walk on, won't hear a word against you, no matter how much you deserve-'

'No, that is not what I meant. I meant he does care for you, Isabella. He loves you,'

'He sold me to the first rich man he could find and condemned me to a life of misery. Now he refuses to even apologise. No, Marian, he does not care for me,'

'Well, I think he does. Guy is not good at showing his feelings. He has made mistakes.' Marian put her hand to her forehead, here she was again making excuses for Guy's behaviour, trying to find reasons for his cruelty. 'I will speak to him. He is sorry, it is his pride, that is all.'

Isabella laughed. 'His pride? It will certainly be wounded when he finds out you have been _consorting_ with Robin Hood.'

'Are you going to tell him that?'

Isabella laughed again, her voice full of malice. 'Yes, I will tell him I followed you here and tried to stop you. Maybe then he will see your true nature and snap out of this ridiculous-'

'You will not tell him anything!' Marian heard the panic in her voice, she was fearful: of Guy's reaction, of his anger and hurt, fearful for herself, for Robin, fearful of losing Robin.

'You will not tell him because you are here to meet Robin yourself. Aren't you?'

'What if I am? You're not the only one who likes to live dangerously,' Isabella watched Marian intently as her words sunk in. 'What's the matter? Jealous?'

Marian raised her head to meet Isabella's eyes. 'Whatever Robin may have told you, it will be strictly business. He is a flirt, I have known him since he was fourteen, I have seen girls come and go. You are no different.'

'But you are I suppose?'

'There is no longer anything between Robin and I,' Marian lied, trying to keep the distress out of her voice. It stung, that Robin was meeting Isabella. It can't have been that innocent, Isabella clearly believed there to be some affection there.

'Don't believe you,' Isabella laughed humourlessly. 'You are jealous!' she cried, as Marian turned and pressed her head against the wet, mud wall, no longer caring about getting dirty.

'No, I am merely worried about what nonsense you will tell Guy. If you tell him . . .' Marian's voice was breaking. 'You will unleash more than you know, he'll probably kill the pair of us.'

'You are meeting Robin! I knew it! Guy will see what a traitorous bitch you are and – '

'No! That is not what I meant. But if you tell him that you will break his heart,'

'He doesn't have a heart to break,'

'He does,' Marian said quietly, more to herself than Isabella. The weight of her guilt sat so heavily on her heart she could hardly breathe. Poor Guy. Proud, cruel, misguided, possessive Guy. Yet also her husband. The man she had been joined to before God. The man who risked the Sheriff's rage and his own life to protect her. The man who whispered his love for her in the night. The man who pleasured her in the depths of those nights, when she could forget herself.

'Or,' Isabella continued, 'maybe I won't tell Guy anything. Maybe I'll tell Robin what I hear in the night. You could be quieter, the whole house can hear the pair of you. Does Robin know you are so _very_ affectionate with your husband?'

Marian's resolve not to cry began to crumble, Isabella was almost as bad as Vaisey when it came to cruel words. At that moment Marian hated her. She had tried to like her, tried to befriend her. But Isabella always had her own agenda. And Marian now realised that agenda involved destroying her.

Marian was saved from further taunts however, by a loud voice ringing out above their head.

'Oi! Robin, we've got someone in the trap!' It was Allan. Marian breathed a sigh of relief, they were going to get out of here.

'Well, have a look then,' she heard Robin say, she could picture his grin as he spoke. 'Who do we have, knight or knave?'

Marian looked up as Allan and John rolled the cloth covering their trap back. She watched as their grins turned to open mouths, then frowns as they saw their victims.

'Er, Robin,' Allan began, 'No knights or knaves. But we do have a couple of ladies.'

Robin's face appeared at the top of the hole, he was grinning that infuriating grin. Like it was all a big game. Marian wanted to hit him even more than she wanted to kiss him at that moment. Her life was falling apart and there he was, leaning on his bow, grinning like he didn't have a care in the world.

'Well, well, well,' he said with a smile. 'To what do I owe the pleasure ladies?'

'Get me out of here!' Marian and Isabella cried angrily in unison, both staring crossly at each other and at their grinning captor.

'John, get a rope,' Robin said lightly, continuing to smile. His face flickered though as he noticed Marian's distress. Gone was the cool and collected lady he knew, she looked panicked. He looked at her quizzically.

'She knows,' Marian mouthed silently. Robin's face fell at these words, his cocky grin disappeared, replaced by a frown. Marian quickly looked away.

'I want Marian up first,' Robin told John, now business like. 'The lady of the manor always has the most valuables.' He turned to Isabella and winked. 'No offence to you, Lady Isabella, I intend to spend plenty of time searching for your valuables.'

Marian wanted to hit something. Robin at this precise moment, as jealousy rose in her chest. It was not an emotion she was used to. She was used to being the belle of the ball every single day. The apple of her father's eye, then object of both Robin and Guy's affections. She could see Robin giving that flirtatious grin to Isabella. That smile that she had thought was reserved for her. It was a sobering moment. For the length of her double life, both before, but especially after her marriage, it never occurred to Marian that she would have competition for the affections of either man.

Marian watched the rope being lowered and concentrated on looping the end around her foot and holding on as John hauled her up. She landed on the forest floor and was immediately pulled to her feet by Robin.

'Give us a few minutes,' he whispered to John and Allan.

'Eh, this rope's frayed,' Allan cried out on cue, 'Gonna have to get a new rope for you, won't be long,' he called down to Isabella.

Robin led Marian the short distance to the camp without speaking. When they stopped walking and faced each other Marian's tears fell freely.

'She knows,' Marian sobbed. 'She knows I've been meeting you,'

'She won't say anything,' Robin assured taking Marian in his arms. Marian sighed and let herself sob for a minute or two into his warm chest. Robin rocked her and kissed her head, before he tilted her head up to face her.

'Robin,' she cried, 'she will tell Guy,'

'She won't. But if you're worried stay here with me,'

'I cannot, you know that. Guy is my husband and that cannot be undone. I cannot marry you and I cannot leave,'

'Isabella won't tell Gisborne, not when she's been meeting me to tell me his secrets,'

Marian frowned. 'Meeting you? What are you playing at? Are you? With her?'

'No, Marian, I am not. Just a little flirtation. No harm done.'

'Why, Robin? Are you doing this to get one over me or Guy?'

'Neither actually.' Robin stroked her hair and pulled Marian to his chest. Marian pushed him away. 'Marian, I was doing it for you. I thought it would be easier for you if you didn't have to betray your husband in more ways than one.'

'So, you flirt with Isabella. You can't trust her, Robin. She hates me.'

'She doesn't hate you. I think she is a little jealous of you, that's all. She is harmless.'

Marian wanted to scream, he was the same as Guy. He couldn't see what Isabella was really like either. She took a couple of deep breaths and wiped her eyes.

'Anyway,' Robin asked, brushing his finger along her cheek, 'what was it you came for anyway, my love?' Without giving her a chance to answer Robin's lips were upon hers. Marian found herself drawn into his embrace, her troubles slipping away as she submitted to his kisses. She pressed herself to him, her hurt demanding comforts of the flesh. But they couldn't, not today.

'No!' she cried, pulling away. 'Robin, we can't now.'

'Yes, we can,' Robin breathed in her ear, drawing her back into another kiss.

'No! She knows, don't you see that changes everything? Robin, I love you, more than I can ever tell you,' he kissed her once more and Marian felt her resolve slipping. 'We can't carry on like this, I can't meet you anymore,'

'Then I will come to you,' Robin whispered, trailing kisses along her face and neck. 'I would go to the ends of the earth for you, Marian.'

Marian wanted to give in there and then. It would have been so easy, just to fall to the forest floor as she had done countless times before. She was on the cusp of surrender when she heard a shout of protest in the distance. Isabella.

Not a moment too soon she and Robin sprang apart. Marian felt frustration and relief in equal measure. From the look on Robin's face he only felt frustration.

'Get your hands off me!' Isabella was shouting. 'You will pay for this, when my brother finds out.'

Robin sighed and turned around, Marian took several deep breaths and tried to compose herself.

'Lady Isabella,' Robin called, managing a laugh as he did so. 'Do tell me what it is exactly that you are planning to tell your brother?'

'Robin,' Isabella hissed as she approached him, 'what the hell are you playing at? I could have been stuck there forever!'

'Not forever,' Robin was laughing now, Marian wondered how he could brush aside the gravity of what she had told him so easily. She watched with consternation as he put his arm around Isabella's shoulder and guided her away from Marian and the rest of the gang who were watching the scene unfolding somewhat open mouthed.

'Marian, are you alright?' John asked kindly, seeing her distress. Marian nodded weakly and gave John a small, brief smile.

'I'll live,' she muttered as she began to go after Isabella and Robin. Marian gathered her skirts and climbed the short, steep hill leading out of the camp. As she stood on the brow of the hill she paused and looked around.

Sherwood: the heart of the forest, the heart England, the home of her heart. The leaves were now the dark green of late summer, the canopy alive with the calls of birds. Marian stopped and listened to them for a few minutes, the cheerful chatter a light relief compared to the heaviness of her heart. She could hear the gang, a series of low voices, she couldn't make out the words. She knew that somewhere nearby Robin would be speaking too, using all his charms to buy Isabella's silence.

As Marian listened to the familiar sounds of the forest she began to notice another sound. Distant, but getting steadily closer. The sound of hooves. Fast moving hooves, two or three horses at least. Her stomach clenched and she made her way down the hill. Then she heard the sound she had most dreaded hearing at this moment - her husband's voice.

'Stop!' Gisborne cried. 'There's a trap. Draw your swords.' Guy commanded his men in a gruff bark, so different to the gentle tones that were reserved for her. He was like two men in one body, each side of him battling for dominance.

Marian was rarely lost for words or actions, but at that moment, as her two world's threatened to horrifically collide, she was frozen. Any occasion when her husband and lover met was hellish, but with Isabella in the mix, knowing that she was meeting Robin . . . it didn't bear thinking about.

Marian finally managed to move and headed down the hill towards the road. As she reached the bottom of the hill she saw Isabella, leaning against a tree, and Robin, his hands on her waist, his head close to hers. Marian wanted to tear him away from her. Robin looked up, saw her and catching her eye he deliberately leant in to kiss Isabella.

It was too much, she began to run, to do what, to go where she did not know. Marian could hear the leaves rustle under her feet, she could hear the bird song, she could hear her husband's deep voice ring out, ordering his men to find them, shouting for Robin to show himself. She could see nothing, her eyes blinded by tears.

Marian was nevertheless surprised to find herself running into something solid. She looked up. John, arm protectively round her, shielding her from running head long into trouble. A moment later Allan was at her side.

'Marian, he had to kiss her,' Allan muttered urgently, 'and in front of you. If Isabella knows you have seen her with Robin, she won't be able to say anything to Gisborne about you,'

Marian allowed herself to be walked back towards the clearing, to Robin and Isabella, who were thankfully now standing some distance apart.

'Ah, Lady Gisborne is back,' Robin said as he looked from Marian to Isabella. 'Much, Allan, tie them up,'

For the second time that day Marian and Isabella spoke in unison. 'You are not tying me up,' they chorused, to Robin's obvious amusement.

'Well, you can be tied up or you can explain to Gisborne what the two of you were doing chasing around Sherwood Forest with me. And you wouldn't want him to think that we cooperated, would you?'

Marian and Isabella glanced at each other, they both saw the sense of Robin's plan.

'You can say you were walking on edge of the forest and were kidnapped by outlaws, I will of course be keeping your valuables,' Robin bent down to remove Marian's necklace.

'You can't Robin, what will people think of you?' she hissed in his ear.

'I'm more concerned about keeping you safe,' Robin whispered back. 'Sorry about the kiss, I had to convince her not to say anything, now you've seen her with me, she can't.'

'What did you say about me?' Marian asked, reassured by Robin's words.

'I told her you sometimes seek me out to tell me about villagers that need help,' Robin smiled at her softly. Marian nodded, looking into his brilliant, blue eyes, noticing how full of concern and care they were. Guy's eyes were caring too, when directed at her. But unlike Guy, Robin respected her, did not seek to dominate or own her.

'And your earrings, come on, I haven't got all day,' Robin said loudly, once again bending down to remove Marian's earrings. 'I told her I only had eyes for her, sorry. I had to, my love,' he whispered, removing the silver set jewels from her lobes.

'I know,' Marian whispered back.

'And I have to say, you do look beautiful today, even covered in mud,'

'Hardly,' Marian said, trying not to smile.

'You always look beautiful,'

'Robin, I will love you forever,' Marian had to say this, she had a sickening feeling that they wouldn't see each other for some time. This had to end, it was too dangerous, too risky, too much to forgive.

'Love you too,' Robin mouthed sadly as he moved away from her and allowed Allan to bind her hands.

* * *

><p>Marian and Isabella had their hands bound in front of them, loosely, but bound nonetheless. They were led to the side of the road and instructed to sit. Robin stood over them, arrow nocked, ready to hand them over.<p>

'Gisborne!' Robin's voice rang out.

'Hood!' Came the swift reply, followed by hooves. A few moments later Marian saw her husband's dark figure approaching, astride his black mare. She felt a wave of guilt and shame: that she was here, that she had once again put him at risk, once again made him the fool, that she had once again broken her marriage vows.

'You're a coward now, Hood! Kidnapping defenceless women,' Guy spat the words out. 'If you have harmed either of them I will kill you.'

Marian noted the slight shakiness in Guy's voice, he really was worried for them, for all his aggression and angry words he was scared for perhaps the only two people in the world he cared about, that he loved.

'They're unharmed,' Robin replied, his arrow still pointing at Guy's chest. 'Which is more than you'll be if you don't get out of my forest,'

'Hand them over, Hood,'

'All yours, Gisborne.' Robin gave an imperceptible nod of the head, indicating to the gang that they should move back. 'And remember, just because you can't see me, doesn't mean I can't see you. So you take your ladies and go straight home, understand Gisborne? Or I might not be so lenient next time,'

Guy didn't answer, but snorted in derision.

'I can't hear you, Gisborne!' Robin cried.

'Yes, we'll go home,' Guy answered grudgingly as he dismounted and made quick strides towards Marian and Isabella. He unsheathed his dagger and quickly cut their bonds. Marian first, then Isabella. After Isabella was free he turned back to Marian, looking at her with a loving intensity that made her burn with guilt; guilt about betraying him with Robin and guilt at the feelings he stirred in her that she hid from the world, including Robin. Just as Marian thought she couldn't feel any worse, he threw his arms around her, drawing her into a fierce embrace.

'Thank God you're alright,' he murmured. 'I've been worried sick.' Marian made no response, she stood stiffly as she always did when he made any public show of affection. He quickly let her go and gave her a small, sad smile before turning to Isabella.

'I've been worried sick about both of you,' he told Isabella.

Marian watched as Isabella's causal countenance changed to one of studied fear.

'Oh brother, it was terrible, we were walking near the woods and outlaws came, from everywhere! We tried to fight them off, as you see, but there were so many and then Robin Hood came and –'

'Tell me later,' Guy replied. 'Now we need to get out of here. Isabella, you will ride behind my sergeant. Marian, you're coming with me.'

Isabella looked perturbed, she didn't want to ride with any of Guy's men, but seeing as there were no spare horses, she had little choice and allowed Guy to help her up. Guy then mounted his own horse and helped Marian up behind him. Isabella caught Marian's eye as they began to ride off.

'Don't tell him,' she mouthed. 'Our secret.'

Marian looked at Isabella, she was as pleased with herself as could be, thinking she had Robin's affection and one over Marian. She knew Marian wouldn't tell. Marian gave a small nod and turned away from her. She wondered if Robin was still watching them. She hated the thought of him seeing her with Guy. It was so wrong, that she should feel uncomfortable being close to her husband, lest her lover be upset.

Yet she also felt some comfort at the strong security of Guy's touch. As she bumped against his strong back as they sped up she found herself enjoying the contact. And after they had been riding for some time and she was sure Robin was out of sight, Marian allowed herself to lean into Guy's back. She breathed in his scent and felt strangely calm. For all her love for Robin, Guy represented safety and security.

Marian tried to close her mind, to block out her wretched day and the difficulties she would now face with Isabella. She had no idea when she would see Robin again, or if she would be able to continue to meet him at all. Maybe she should just grow up. She had been fond enough of telling Robin to do so. Maybe it was time for her to grow up and accept her lot, to get out whilst she still could, before anyone got anymore hurt.

Guy wasn't, after all, without his qualities. _You could be quieter. _Their marriage was not without passion, whatever impression she might like to convey to the world in daylight hours. Marian was stirred by Guy. She had always been stirred by Guy. But she loved Robin, had loved him since she was a girl. Her beautiful outlaw owned her heart. He always would.

But he couldn't have it. God had joined her to Guy.

Not for the first time Marian wondered if it were possible to love two men at once.

Only time would tell.


End file.
